Healthy Grain Bowls are the perfect easy meal: quick, nourishing and plenty satisfying. Simply mix and match based on your favorite ingredients and dietary needs.
Grain bowls are exactly what they sound like: a base of whole grains in a bowl topped with a variety of delicious, nutritious toppings. The best part is they are fool-proof and you can create endless combinations.
I am sure a lot of us are losing our minds with having to come up with three meals per day now that social isolation is the new norm. You’ve probably hit a meal planning rut and are running out of ideas to feed the family.
Well not to worry! I’m going to provide you with a formula to make a healthy grain bowl that caters to everyone’s tastes. Grain bowls have been trending for years now because they are adaptable across multiple cuisines and diets. They are also a great alternative to traditional salads which can become monotonous over time.
Grain bowls are in my meal rotation often. I rotate my grain choice, top with a mixture of raw and roasted vegetables, add some crunch/garnishes, and finish it with dressing or sauce. I like to build my grain bowl by balancing textures, adding a variety of colors, and finishing with a punch of flavor.
The best part is you don’t even need a recipe to make a grain bowl. Follow my formula, use your favorite staple ingredients, or clean out your fridge to build a satisfying bowl! Below is the formula and I am using a Mediterranean bowl as an example.
Start With Your Base
Pick your grain or starch. Choose any hearty whole grain or fiber rich food as the foundation of your bowl. Consider cooking your grain in a vegetable or chicken broth for extra flavor.
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
- Barley
- Farro
- Freekeh
- Couscous
- Polenta
- Wheat berries
- Soba or rice noodles
- Sweet Potatoes
- Oats (savory or sweet)
Pile On The Vegetables
Grain bowls are not the time to be shy about vegetables. Load your bowl up, about half the bowl or more should be vegetables. I recommend using a mix of roasted or sautéed and raw vegetables for flavor and texture variation. If you choose raw leafy greens don’t overdo because otherwise you are just making a salad. I suggest sautéing a large handful of leafy greens to change it up. Choose your favorite vegetables, raw or cooked, canned or frozen. Here are just some examples, but there is no limit (and obviously can’t list every vegetable here):
- Tomatoes
- Leafy greens (kale, spinach, arugula, swiss chard)
- Roasted zucchini or eggplant
- Shredded carrots or cabbage
- Beets
- Artichokes
- Peppers
- Onion (sautéed, raw or pickled)
- Asparagus
- Roasted broccoli, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts
- Cucumber (raw or pickled)
Choose a Protein
Protein will help you feel full for longer. Choose to top your grain bowls with meat or fish or make it vegetarian by adding beans, or soy products.
- Chicken (rotisserie, grilled, roasted)
- Shrimp, scallops, crab meat
- Salmon, tuna, swordfish or other
- Lean beef
- Tofu (marinated, baked, sautéed)
- Tempeh
- Beans (chickpeas, black beans, kidney, white cannellini and more)
- Edamame
- Lentils
- Egg (poached, over-easy, soft-boiled, scrambled)
Additional garnishes and toppings:
Garnishes add a punch of flavor or some texture to finish the bowl. Add some crunch, herbs, healthy fats, or pickled vegetables.
- Chopped nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds)
- Avocado or guacamole
- Herbs (cilantro, parsley, scallions, dill, thyme)
- Chopped tortilla chips
- Crunchy roasted chickpeas
- Pickled vegetables (red onion, cabbage or cucumber)
- Olives
- Crumbled or shredded cheese (feta, goat, parmesan, blue cheese)
Punch of flavor!
Dressing or sauce ties all the deliciousness ingredients together with a blast of flavor. Sauce options are endless and can be inspired by a cuisine or condiments found in your fridge. Choose one of the following or create your own
- Pesto
- Salsa
- Yogurt sauce (tzatziki)
- Hummus
- Ranch or Caesar Dressing
- Vinaigrette (balsamic, lemon, Greek)
- Favorite peanut sauce
- Chipotle Sauce
- Hot Sauce
Grain Bowl Combination Inspirations:
Chicken quinoa burrito bowls- corn, pickled red onion, chicken, black beans, sautéed peppers, guacamole, cilantro, salsa
Lentil, sweet potato, sautéed kale, feta, pickled cucumber, chopped nuts
Mediterranean (similar to the example above with a few tweaks)- cucumber, tomato, Greek olives, crunchy chickpeas, couscous, roasted eggplant, homemade Greek dressing
Grilled chicken, roasted brussel sprouts, barley, beets, chopped pecans, Dijon maple vinaigrette
Asian bowl- soba noodles, bok choy, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, scallions, tofu, peanut sauce
Tuna bowl- tuna, shredded cabbage, black rice, broccoli, edamame, ginger miso dressing,
Shrimp bowl- grilled shrimp, sliced mango, farro, roasted carrots, cucumber, cilantro lime dressing
Veggie power bowl- roasted vegetables (cauliflower, asparagus, carrots, peppers), quinoa, avocado, crunchy chickpeas, balsamic vinaigrette
Pesto bowl- quinoa, egg, pesto, asparagus, peas, roasted zucchini, sautéed spinach, sunflower seeds
Steak bowl- sliced skirt steak, peppers, onions, brown rice, mushrooms, chimichurri sauce
Ready to make your bowl?
Get creative with your bowl, no recipe needed, just follow the steps above. Let me know what variations you try, share below in the comments!
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